Quietish

Move yourself to a safe distance from that thing, would ya?

Sirius isn’t exactly my favorite character, but WOW I love that. I wouldn’t turn it down if someone wanted to slip it to me as an un-birthday gift or something. ;)

Leaky article about new HP action figures.

The first thing I did, after squealling shrilly when Angie told me she was going to be having a baby, was start thinking of what things I could knit for her. I suppose this is a very typical knitterly thing to do, actually.

So I thought of sweaters and socks, and stuffed toys. I avoided even thinking about a blanket because I’ve been sure that if I can’t hardly stand to knit a scarf, I couldn’t possibly handle a blanket of even baby size.

Then I started looking through my small collection of knitting books. While I like sweaters and hats and bibs (well no, I don’t really like the bibs, hm), the patterns I most liked were GASP blankets. Especially since the most striking idea, the log cabin blanket from Mason Dixon Knitting, seemed to be just the thing to keep me from slipping into a garter-stitch-hell coma.

Pattern:
loosely based on the instructions for a knitted log cabin blanket, in Mason Dixon Knitting
Yarn:
Knit Picks Swish Superwash
Comments:
See above. And, Swish = the most soft, squishy 100 percent wool I’ve ever felt. Lovely colors too.

Love ya Angie and Eddie and Baby!

Pattern:
None. Took some counts and ideas from the Handy Book.
Yarn:
Leftovers of Knit Picks Swish Superwash. (I STILL have some left, argh!)
Comments:
I had a good time with the little 1-row stripes, but enjoyed the break I got when I switched to 5-row stripes in the yoke. I thought this would be an excellent way to use up yarn that I knew would sit around for awhile, but apparently was too careful when deciding what size sweater I could make with all of it safely while not running out. Now I have to decide what to do with 6 partial balls.

This little squishy goes to CIC via Care Wool.

Dear Julie,

I obviously have been too busy running about and having knitting marathons to sit still, be a decent friend, and pop onto the webcam for a chat. I’m sorry and hope to make it up to you this week, although I’ll probably knit while we’re at it. We need to record a show, too. Where the heck has February gone?

Love, Rose

PS, Here is my SPS straight from the webcam to tide you over, since Mondays are probably the worst for finding time to get on here and play around.

Well then, it does seem as though I’ve been living up to my blog title now doesn’t it?

This week has meandered by and I can’t seem to recall just what exactly I’ve accomplished, but when I look around it does appear that I’ve done a little crafting here and there.

I have a finished sock and the start of a second. Meet Hermione:

Although I cast her on almost directly after receiving my copy of Favorite Socks, I’ve been taking my time with the knitting. Knowing me however, I’ll probably have a finished pair in the next week or so.

And while I have a finished object I can’t quite share openly yet, I can share what I cast on in it’s wake. I’m making up a yoked toddler sweater for CIC/Care Wool, using leftovers. Having fun with the colors.

This weekend I knit a hat for Amy’s mom so fast, that I didn’t even take a pic of it before dashing off to give it away. Sorry ’bout that. I can tell you that it was purple, and that it was Odessa, sans beads.

Here’s something fun: A coupla weeks ago I got the urge to start something that can be ongoing for as many months or years as suits my fancy, using my sock yarn leftovers. Meet my small pancake stack-like pile of mini granny squares, to someday be sewn into an afghan.

I do realize that this will quite possibly be the ugliest thing to ever be crocheted. To everyone else anyway. To me it will be brilliantly gorgeous, being stitched with bits of my favorite handknits and the memories that accompany them.

I love crochet in a different way than knitting. I think when I crochet it releases a different pleasant hormone; It makes me feel very nice indeed. And I’m quite fond of the use of the little balls of yarn that would otherwise be ignored and eventually thrown out, even if it results in something utterly distasteful to everyone but me.

Since we’re here, how about a nice pic of one of the hobbits learning about what it’s like to be a dog.

As you can see, I still have yet to figure out how to photograph black dogs even all these months later.

When I remember that I need an sps pic once it’s already dark, I have much fewer options. So, I took my camera out on my walk with me.

And since I’m on the topic, I may be found:

In the woods. Pippin is sleepy. Dear Hobbit. (44 miles)

I don’t know what my deal is about blue. I generally think its a nice color, and some shades are incredibly striking. How could I see my son’s eyes and think of them as anything less than stunning? Also, my birthstone is the sapphire.

However, I very, very rarely ever have a desire to wear or decorate with blue. Actually, as I type this, my WP “dashboard” is a blue theme and I think it’d be nice if I could change it. I run Windows XP, and each time I’ve installed it, almost the first thing I had done was change the theme (taskbar, windows, etc) from blue to green or silver. I pick on my husband because his car is “crayola blue.”

I think that most of my reason for avoiding blue is that it seems to me to be a very mainstream, universally beloved color. Lots of people call it their favorite. Traditionally, I have always been one to pass on things that are hip and trendy, etc. (Although Kelly would argue against that point, calling me a Gryffindor and such, lol)

Pay no mind, I’m just a freak. I do like blue, I just… don’t at the same time.

With the first triad of Project Spectrum being blue, white, and gray, I found myself a bit challenged. I don’t think I had one ball of blue yarn in my stash, for instance. Although, white really isn’t a problem for me.

I knew right off that I could easily just use blue in things that aren’t knitting related. Like this ATC, for instance:

I made that for the Creative Mom Podcast swap.

A bit ago I realized that a project that has been sitting in my lap for weeks has a good amount of blue. I’ve got quite a few more days left of knitting on this one.
If you’re not Angie, click to see the pic behind the link here:
supersecretbabyproject

Then last week or so, I snagged some lovely yarn from Bonne Marie, because Justin will eventually need a sweater. It is now swatched and a design is in the works.

Since Justin doesn’t need it til next time it gets cold, (I think we’re looking at late October here in OK nowadays for cold weather) and as his only pair of handknit socks died recently, the next pair of socks on the needles will be his. And look, the yarn fits into the theme as well. Score!

My SPS for this week comes from the midst of The Noisy Construction. The other night I walked past to check the hours. 10:30pm close most nights except Sunday, when it closes at 9.

I spent an hour or two there tonight, enjoying a grande mocha.

It is pretty and very spacious in there, with lots of comfy seating. Yes!

So I did a little journaling in my poor neglected pocket sketchbook Moleskine.

And to avoid having spent the entire day on my rear, I got out for a bit of walking. Which leaves me:

Beginning to sing (38 miles)

I have been tagged by Linda. Unless there is another Rosemary floating around here! Here goes:

(more…)

Growr, I wish I had brought my camera. Ah well, YouTube delivers.

Here’s a video of the kiss.
You can see his face better here.

“The Hurt”, a song that didn’t make it to Continuum.

I was gonna post a clip of him playing “Gravity” here, but I was annoyed by the talking. Ah hell, here it is anyway.